Shop Local Transformations

Over the past four years LoveLiveLocal has become a resource for Cape Codders who are wondering where they can purchase things locally. The past two years our own Amanda Converse has both explored her own shopping habits to share where there might be challenges with regard to spending the majority of her dollars locally, as well as answered others’ questions about where to shop local for their wants and needs. This year Amanda will mentor self-selected individuals who are trying to change some of their own shopping habits in order to ensure they invest in their community as much as possible. We’ve been working with Lauren Leverone, the new owner of Cape Cod Cornhole to curb her Amazon habit and make more of her purchases from locally owned stores. Last month we tackled clothing options for her, her husband and her kiddos, and this month we will address potentially the most challenging for many people to shop local: the basics like toilet paper, paper towels, light bulbs, personal care products or seasonal necessities like snow shovels, rakes, and summer grilling accessories.

Many people grab these things at places like Home Depot, Target, Kmart or CVS because they think it is convenient and cheaper, which is a common misperception. Many of these stores place their cheap goods at the front of the store to make shoppers believe everything in the store is inexpensive or they stock goods that are of a lower quality (they have to make up for lower prices somehow).

Purchases such as these may seem like they might not make a difference in our local economy, but they all add up. Americans spend billions of dollars on personal care products every year – imagine if more of that money was circulating through the small business community on Cape Cod.

Your neighborhood local market is a great spot to find every day necessities, or your local hardware store has all of these things you need, and will likely put them on order for you with a simple phone call. Once you become aware and conscious of these local options, it can be just as convenient to shop local as it is to click a button on your laptop – and trust us, it will feel a whole lot better knowing you contributed to your community instead of a corporate CEO’s wallet.